ALARM Synonyms: 238 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'alarm' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread , fear , fright , panic , terror , and trepidation . While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. // view the situation with alarm

Q: When is 'dread' a more appropriate choice than 'alarm'?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety. // faced the meeting with dread

Q: When can 'fear' be used instead of 'alarm'?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. // fear of the unknown

Q: When might 'fright' be a better fit than 'alarm'?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear. // fright at being awakened suddenly

Q: Where would 'panic' be a reasonable alternative to 'alarm'?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity. // the news caused widespread panic

Q: When would 'terror' be a good substitute for 'alarm'?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear. // immobilized with terror

Q: How do 'trepidation' and 'dread' relate to one another, in the sense of 'alarm'?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation. // raised the subject with trepidation

alarm 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈlärm

variants also alarum

Definition of alarm

as in dread

suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune observed with alarm the man staggering toward the edge of the cliff

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as in warning

the act or an instance of telling beforehand of danger or risk in a daring midnight ride Paul Revere gave the alarm that British troops were approaching

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in fear

the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger filled with alarm when the flood waters reached their front steps

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarum

as in to scare

to strike with fear I don't want to alarm you, but I think you should know there's a bear on your back porch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to concern

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuel

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alarm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread, fear, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When is dread a more appropriate choice than alarm?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of alarm?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might fright be a better fit than alarm?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to alarm?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When would terror be a good substitute for alarm?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of alarm?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of alarm

Noun

Iran launched attacks on Saudi Arabia for the first time in about three months, according to two people familiar with the matter, triggering early warning alarms in Al-Kharj, east of the capital Riyadh, and at Yanbu on the kingdom's Red Sea coast. — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 July 2026 At least a dozen attacks on Ebola treatment centers and health workers in Congo’s Ituri province are undermining containment efforts, raising fresh alarm over safety at the outbreak’s epicenter. — Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026

Verb

Her doctor recommended some minor lifestyle changes, but didn't seem alarmed. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 June 2026 The bill’s impact on the massive pension system alarmed CalPERS’ staff, who estimated that premiums would increase by over $28 a month per member in the first year of the bill. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for alarm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm

Noun

Wedding season is in full swing, bringing with it a familiar sense of dread for anyone who fears the dance floor.

— Chloe Veltman, NPR, 11 July 2026
Australian newspapers in the early 1800s offered constant snake coverage, giving a sense of collective dread.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is paramount in averting wildfires during these perilous conditions.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
An evacuation warning means a potential threat to life and/or property, and those who require time to evacuate were urged to leave ahead of any mandatory evacuation order.

— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Definition of warning

Verb

The company will need to regain customers' trust, just as other restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's and Chipotle have had to in the past after health scares.

— Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 17 July 2026
Significantly, High Plains offered alternatives to more expensive, two-drink-minimum club shows that might scare off casual comedy fans and newcomers to stand-up.

— John Wenzel, Denver Post, 16 July 2026

Definition of scare

Verb

Plummeting immigration is concerning, since our data suggests that immigration was the biggest contributor to Florida’s growth since 2023.

— Matt Brooks, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Bradač’s proof concerns off-diagonal Ramsey numbers, which allow for large differences between the size of a clique and the size of an independent set.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026

Definition of concern

Noun

It’s made from 100 percent cotton and fully lined for lightweight comfort and worry-free wear.

— Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
His two biggest worries are that people will potentially lose their business and cities losing the permit income to conduct health inspections.

— Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

His instinctive reaction, tearful after losing another final, was to throw in the towel, to announce his career with Argentina was over at the age of 29, to focus on his club career, which by comparison brought him so much joy and so little anxiety.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Because of their history of poor sleep, people with insomnia may suffer from anxiety about getting inadequate sleep, which can then increase sleeplessness at night.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 18, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2026

Definition of anxiety

Verb

Fireworks can frighten animals and send them scattering, but Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets apparently are made of sterner stuff.

— Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
In those moments, what frightened her most was not her own safety but the knowledge that her husband was up there somewhere, flying in the same sky swarming with fighter planes dropping their bombs on Tehran.

— Mahsa Alimardani, Time, 6 July 2026

Definition of frighten

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“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of alarm

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